Speech prompter



April 2, 1963 c. c. HAGOOD, sR

SPEECH PROMPTER Filed Dec. 15, 1960 I ATTORNEY reminded may be easily placed United States Patent 3,033,487 SPEECH PROMPTER Cecil C. Hagood, Six, R0. Box 109, Evergreen, Ala. Filed Dec. 15, 196i), er. No. 76,654 1 Claim. (61. 4il86) This invention relates to the rendering of speeches, public addresses and the like, and equipment by which a speaker can be prompted or reminded to insure the continued delivery of the speech or continuity of the performance.

The invention relates particularly to apparatus or equipment which can be used for prompting a performer or speaker and which apparatus is manually operated and requires little eifort and attention in the use of the same while serving to assist in the completion of certain operations on the part of an individual or individuals.

Speech prompters have been employed and used during television broadcasts and the like and in which images have been thrown on a screen; however, such devices have required elaborate equipment and a relatively simple device which can be used by a lone individual in an area where equipment is limited does not seem to have been available.

It is an object of the invention to provide a relatively small, simple and inexpensive speech prompter which can be easily carried and on which a speech or other matter of which a speaker or performer desires to be and the device kept out of sight of an audience while readily accessible and operable to perform the desired service with a minimum of effort and concern.

Another object of the invention is to provide a speech prompter in the form of a relatively small, flat, generally rectangular housing which can be illuminated or not, and with a tape which a speaker or other user can unwind as required during the course of the delivery of a speech or other performance.

A further object of the invention is to provide a relatively flat housing with rollers in the ends and a tape therebetween and with such rollers having knurled rollers exposed suficiently to be engaged and by which they can be turned or rotated by the thumbs of the hands, and with the device capable of being used when placed on a speakers stand out of sight of an audience during the delivery of an address or the like.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective illustrating one application of the invention;

FIG. 2, a longitudinal vertical section on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3, a similar section on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4, a vertical transverse section on the line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5, a fragmentary detail section on the line 5-5 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 6, a further fragmentary detail section on the line 66 of PEG. 1.

Briefly stated, the speech prompter of the present invention is a relatively small flat housing containing a transparent tape supporting shelf the upper surface of which is inset and with rollers within such housing on which a record tape containing a speech can be placed in a manner to be advanced endwise over the surface of said transparent shelf and with rollers having marginal knurled portions across which the thumb may be moved to rotate the same to bring the desired portion of the tape into position to be readily viewed by the user of the device.

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With continued reference to the drawing, the speech prompter of the present invention comprises a hollow shell or housing lli] of relatively flat, generally rectangular, configuration with opaque side walls and an inset transparent tape supporting shelf or panel ill to allow record tape 12 to pass thereover below the upper surface of the housing.

The shelf 11 is provided with a relatively large transverse opening 13 and a side opening .14 at its rear end and a relatively small transverse opening 15 at its opposite or front end through which openings the record tape 12 may pass. Rollers 16, 17, are provided for mounting the record tape in the housing, the rollers 16 having slots 16' designed one to contain a roll of record tape thereon, within the larger opening 13. The other roller 16 located near but forwardly of the first roller 16 is adapted to receive or have wound thereon the record tape as it is unwound from the first roller 16. Idler rollers maintain the tape extended and expose a portion thereof substantially the length of the housing over the transparent shelf 11 as the tape is unwound from the first roller 16 and wound onto the second roller 16.

The rollers 16 preferably are of the spool type, the end disks of which have peripheral roughening =or knurling 18 for frictional engagement by the thumb of the user. The rollers are mounted by means of retaining screws 19 which engage threaded openings 20 in the rollers, such screws being located in openings 21 in the housing 10.

in order to provide tension on the record tape 12 the rollers 16 are provided with hubs 16" about which are disposed concave-convex spring disks 22 having slots 23 for added flexibility. The disks 22 bear against the ad jacent inner wall of the housing It? and exert pressure therebetween and the hubs 16 of the rollers 16 and thereby maintaining the tape 12 under slight tension.

The housing it) may have internal illumination as for example by lighting means 24 supplied with current through conductors 25 connected to a source of power not shown and controlled by a switch 26. The lighting means 24 is removably mounted in a plug 27 having a reduced threaded extremity 28 which passes through an opening 29 in the side of housing 1d and such plug is secured to the housing by a nut 30.

In the operation of the device, when a speaker is to make an address, his speech or notes are first recorded on the tape 12 and wound on the rearmost roller 16. The free end of the tape is placed over the transparent shelf VII and is threaded over the idler rollers 17 and into the slot 16" of the second roller 16. As the speaker delivers his address he turns the knurled disk 18 on the second roller 16 with his thumb to preserve the continuity of his speech and to have his speech or notes constantly before him without having to turn pages or shufile papers. It will be apparent that the speaker may pause at any time that the speech is interrupted by applause or other reason since the tape is under his personal control at all times.

It will be obvious to one skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and therefore the invention is not limited by that which is illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification, but only as indicated in the accompanying claim.

What is claimed is:

A speech prompter of a size :to be easily and inconspicuously carried and operated by a speaker to remind the speaker of portions of a speech, said prompter comprising a generally rectangular housing, a transparent tape, a transparent shelf for supporting said tape, said shelf being inset in the upper portion of said housing to allow the tape to pass therebelow, a supply and a take up roller mounted adjacent one end of said housing below the top thereof, one of said rollers having a knurled knob radiating outwardly from one end adjacent one side of said housing and the other roller having a knurledknob at the other end adjacentthe other side of said'hou'sing, said rollers and knurledk nobs lying entirely Within said housing so that no part projects outwardly therefrom, said housing haying thumb receiving cutouts adjacent said knurled knobs to permit ready operation by the thumbs of the user, guide means mounted in said housing for guiding tape from the other end of said housing toward the bottom and toward the take up roller leaving an appreciable space between said shelf and the bottom of said housing, a source of light beueath'said shelf and above at least some portions of said:guicle means where- 4 by a tape supplied from the supply roller :to the take up roller substantially encompasses said source of light and preventing undesired beams of light from shining from said housing.

References Cited in the file ofthis patent UNITEDSTATES PATENTS 1,517,605 Warren Dec. 2, 1924 1,842,067 'Bredouw Jan.'1 9,'1932 2,306,634 MaeDonald 2 'Dec. 29, 1942 2,374,935 Higgins May 1, 1945 2,686,985 Shore Aug. 24, 1954 2,764,826 Fulton et a1. Oct. 2, 1956 "2,787,070 I-doine Apr. 2, 1957 2,853,817 Palm Sept.'30, 1958 

